ABSTRACT: The
disproportionate dropout rate of female college students from math, science,
and engineering (MSE) fields has recently received much attention (Brainard,
Laurich-McIntyre, & Mobley, 1995; Carlin, 1997). The reasons for women's
higher attrition rate from MSE fields remain unclear. Eighty 1st-year
university students with a preexisting interest in MSE completed a computer
task—the Implicit Association Test (IAT)—that measured identification with MSE,
gender stereotypes regarding MSE, and attitudes toward MSE on an implicit,
nonconscious level. Results indicated that women showed less implicit
identification with MSE than did men, and that men showed stronger implicit
stereotypes about MSE being "male" fields. Surprisingly, although men
and women held negative implicit attitudes toward MSE, they did not differ
significantly from each other in their implicit MSE attitudes. These results
may have implications for better understanding women's persistence in MSE.

The Effects of Societal Standards of Physical Attractiveness on
Body Esteem in the ElderlyNicole H. Wolensky, Marquette UniversityABSTRACT: The
current societal standard of attractiveness is one that emphasizes
youthfulness. The study sought to observe the impact these standards have on
the elderly. Participants consisted of 14 women and 6 men aged 62 through 90 (M = 77.35, SD = 7.82). The control group viewed a photograph of an elderly
couple, whereas the youthful standard of attractiveness was made salient to the
remaining participants through a photograph of a young couple. The researcher
administered the Body Esteem Scale (Franzoi & Shields, 1984), producing
scores on the body-as-object subscale and the body-as-process subscale. Scores
were compared on the basis of sex, condition, and exercise/nonexercise. No
significant difference was found between conditions or sexes. Exercisers scored
significantly higher than nonexercisers on the body-as-process subscale, t(17) = - 3.32, p = .008.

The Bold and the Beautiful: The Effect of Physical
Attractiveness and Extraversion on DesirabilityKatie D. Kirkendall, Deann P. Dixon, Traci A. Giuliano, and Ann
E. Raney, Southwestern University

ABSTRACT: This
study explored the effects of extraversion and physical attractiveness on the
desirability of a potential dating partner. Thirty-two male college students,
recruited for a study ostensibly about perceptions of dating service clients,
read several profiles and made judgments about them. We manipulated physical
attractiveness of the client (attractive or unattractive) between subjects and
manipulated level of extraversion (shy or outgoing) within subjects. Each
participant read and made judgments about 2 distracter profiles and 2 profiles
relevant to the hypotheses. Participants rated physically attractive women as
more desirable and were more interested in dating them compared to unattractive
women, regardless of level of extraversion, even though they rated extraverted
women as friendlier than shy women. These results are consistent with research
suggesting that physical attractiveness, rather than personality, is the most
potent factor in determining desirability (Dion, Berscheid, & Walster,
1972).

Aggressive Personality Type and Its Link to Aggressive DrivingChristen G. Herrick, Whitworth College

ABSTRACT: This
study investigated the relation between overall aggressive personality type
(APT) and aggressive driving behaviors (ADB), as well as the effects of driver
anonymity (defined by driving alone vs. driving with a passenger[s]) on ADB
scores. Forty undergraduate college students (17 men, 23 women) with a mean age
of 19.73 years completed the Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992)
and an aggressive driving questionnaire composed by the researcher. The results
revealed a statistically significant correlation between APT and ADB for both
the driving alone, r = .440, p < .01, and driving with
passenger(s), r = .456, p < .01, conditions. There was also a
significant difference in driver aggression scores for drivers alone versus
drivers with a passenger(s). These results suggest a need for driver training
programs to implement anger/hostility management components.

ABSTRACT: The
present study explored the effects of stereotype deviation in the music
industry on people's perceptions of performers. One hundred college students
(48 men, 52 women) examined a profile of a fictitious performer containing a
picture, a brief biography, and a lyric sample. As part of a 2-way
between-subjects design, participants made judgments about either a Black or a
White musician who performed either rap or country music. The results showed
that a Black rap performer was rated more favorably than a Black country
performer, and a White country performer was rated more favorably than a White
rap performer. Consistent with predictions, people who violate societal
expectations are judged more harshly than are people who conform to societal
expectations, particularly in cases involving strong preexisting racial
stereotypes.

A Modified Presubmission ChecklistJennifer Dunn and Karen Ford, Mesa State University; Kirsten l.
Rewey, University of Minnesota; John A. Juve, University of Missouri-Columbia; Alyson
Weiser and Stephen F. Davis, Emporia State University

ABSTRACT: The
following checklist was adapted from the article "'Is This REALLY APA
Format?': A Presubmission Checklist for the Psi
Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research," which appeared in the Fall
2000 issue (Vol. 5, pp. 87-89) of this journal. We hope that this updated
version, which incorporates changes found in the fifth edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association (American Psychological Association, 2001), will
assist authors, faculty advisors, and reviewers with the APA format aspect of
the publication process.

The Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research educates, supports, and promotes professional development, and disseminates psychological science. Only original, empirical manuscripts that make a contribution to psychological knowledge are published. Authors are Psi Chi members at the undergraduate, graduate, and faculty level.